MJ rushed into The Cemetery, confused. There was a large gathering of people, mainly elders but the occasional regular member, showing she'd deliberately been left out of a summoning.

Marco's message on a loop, spotting his face among the crowd.

Even if Kol's playhouse was oddly homely, the rest of the cemetery was anything but, especially when so full of living whispers.

"What's happened?"

"Nothing yet," He showed her a card, "Each coven got one."

'the truth must be known
Come and learn the witch blood on your leader's hands.'

MJ crumpled the card up, closing her eyes.

She could sense magic, but whose?

She'd done the stupid ritual!

Her sixth sense should be back, not just telling her if something was magical, but what type!

"MJ!" Abigail's voice, "MJ."

She grabbed her arm, eyes opening.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know," She quizzed the girl, "You got a summoning?"

"No," She shook her head, "My friends told me."

"This is a coup," MJ muttered, "I need to find Davina."

Marcel had gone to talk to her.

She'd been with Sam!

Why couldn't they have just left her with him as Strix protection!

"This – "

Marco put his arm out, pointing up to the Regent's point of address.

Van Nguyen standing there, holding up a dreamcatcher.

"Thank you all for coming."

The place went silent.

"Van," MJ called out, "Whatever you're doing – "

"I'm telling the truth!"

Marco gave MJ a confused look.

"Watch!"

A swipe over the dreamcatcher, Davina's voice filling the space.

"Kara Nguyen attacked me!"

MJ's fingers twitched, about to mute it, when Marco caught her hand.

"So you had her killed?" Vincent's voice, "You gonna kill anybody who disagrees with you, Davina?"

Marco tightened his hold, voice low, "Do not die on this hill."

He'd clicked.

If she did anything this publically, she'd find herself shunned alongside Davina.

Davina...

"I took care of a threat," She spoke clearly, "That's what leaders do."

Abigail looked at her, confused.

"If anyone tries to stand against me, I'll do it again."

The woman of the hour appeared behind Van, storming outside only to still.

Vincent like a shadow in the doorway as her eyes went wide.

Seeing everyone.

"We cannot lose you," Marco whispered.

"Funny thing about a willow hoop," Van taunted her, "Never know what you're gonna see."

One had to have been planted in her room.

Vincent.

The man that had endorsed her now throwing her to the sharks.

"I told you I'd find out what you did."

Could MJ blame Van for following through?

"Now everyone else knows, too," He pointed to MJ, "She covered it up."

Everyone turned.

"She's spent months acting like she's one of us – but she helped her cover it up."

"That's not true," Davina stuttered, "MJ didn't do anything."

"Don't lie," MJ spoke carefully, "I did."

Van hesitated, not having expected a confession.

Dead silence.

People parting so she could walk up to the step too, clearly on edge.

"I got a phone call," She revealed, "The Regent was bleeding out."

Marco shook his head at her.

"Because our ancestors were hurting her."

"She was killing one of their witches!"

"If you see a witch in pain, what do you do?"

Van didn't answer.

"You help them."

Addressing the crowd, she paused.

Neph and Nadege were there.

MJ scanned for Tia but couldn't see her, just the elder Voodoo Queens, lips in a thin line.

"We broke The Crescent Curse that night," MJ revealed, "We had a meeting. You were all upset and scared about vampires – so Davina got us a pack of vampire poison."

She had to be able to talk them out of this mess.

"Our ancestors fought against that."

Hayley and Sam had turned back in the middle of the city.

"The wolves who killed your mother, Van, were only that rabid because of the spirits."

Each word had conviction.

"But we're gonna punish her?"

"She sent them!" Van argued, "It was deliberate."

Staring into his eyes and seeing the grief stopped her.

Was she really about to trick this guy into thinking his mother's death was something it wasn't?

Had she really sunk that low?

"MJ didn't know," Davina repeated, "She genuinely thought it was about the wolves."

Vincent came out of the doorway, trying to mask new panic.

"That's why she stormed off; you saw her do that, Van."

He was still staring at MJ, the lack of denying allowing everyone watching to accept the comment as truth.

"She found out when we found the bodies."

"Twelves witches," Van spat the words, "You orchestrated the death of twelve witches."

"It was only meant to be one – "

"You all heard her say it!" Van turned to the crowd.

MJ closed her eyes to sober up.

"She meant to do it!" He was rallying them, "Davina Clair is a murderer."

The crowd broke into chaos, yelling a million different opinions.

"I was trying to stop a mutiny!"

MJ needed a new tactic, "You voted her in to do this!"

"I'm sorry for what happened," Davina kept going, "It was my responsibility to stop mutiny – "

"It's over, Davina," Vincent put a hand on her arm, "You kill a witch? You lose your place among the witches."

"Bullshit!" MJ shook her head, "When have we ever applied that?"

"You did!" Someone yelled, "You rejected a witch last year for killing a Harvest girl."

"For killing a child!" MJ corrected, "When the city wasn't infested with an army of vampires."

"We've always been infested," Someone hissed.

"By Marcel," MJ laughed, "The Strix makes Marcel look like the Easter Bunny!"

She found it hilarious that someone used Freya Mikaelson to make a point.

"Are you all really going to condemn an eighteen-year-old right now?"

The rumbling quietened slightly.

"Every one of you is safe because I dubbed coven witches protected."

That's why there were new faces there. People who weren't elders, who'd heard of something going on, and wanted to understand the circuit of magic they'd decided to join because of MJ.

"You're gonna throw someone out? Let her be torn apart by fangs?"

A beat.

"Shun her!" Van yelled.

"Shun her!" A different voice in the crowd yelled back, turning it into a chant, "Shun her!"

MJ met Marco and Abigail's looks.

Others were staying quiet too.

Thinking.

Trying to work out what side to fall on.

Jo's words: the hateful are always the loudest, but that does not mean they are the many.

But Davina had broken a rule.

She'd killed someone – technically twelve people.

"MJ," Davina swallowed slowly, "It's okay."

It wasn't.

She was literally shaking in front of MJ.

But there was nothing she could do to stop it.

THE VAMPIRES
The Other Girl In New Orleans

MJ knew her face was shifting.

She could feel it. Tension filled the air as the closest observers clocked the shadows of black veins across her cheeks, MJ trying to push the dryness of her throat away. How could she go from the power high of the Mikaelson Thanksgiving to completely powerless so fast?

She couldn't save her.

Davina stood between Van and Vincent at the top of the steps, the same route they'd used to crown her. One elder from each coven required to stand like dominoes on either side of those steps, the audience creating an extended tunnel.

All waiting.

Vincent holding the scroll.

All waiting for her.

"MJ," Abigail's voice was so quiet, only supernatural ears would've been able to hear her, "You don't have to."

They needed the elders on the steps.

MJ not yet in place.

Listening to the blonde girl still have faith in her.

"You walk away right now, and they can't do it."

But then they'd lose their place among the covens.

And The Strix could use that.

MJ gave her a grateful look, face settled on human. Stepping towards the only empty spot on the stairs. The only elder of The French Quarter. MJ couldn't risk making another one anymore, even if she'd started accessing candidates during the summer.

No one chanting 'shun' could be made into an elder.

But Abigail?

Given Kaleb's dream, MJ couldn't do that to her. Could she? But -

Vincent handed one of the scrolls to her, MJ facing the elder on the opposite side of the steps.

Marco.

A solemn expression on his face.

Ellie Tasic was watching from somewhere; MJ could smell her perfume – Sam's aunt. Ish. Step-dad's sister. Only practising witch in her family. Rhea wasn't there, but MJ knew there wasn't a chance she would've approved. Even if they didn't like what Davina had done, shutting people out like this?

"By order of the law, set forth by the Ancestors," Vincent read, "In accordance to the decree of the nine covens. Davina Claire – "

"Traitor!"

"- You are henceforth banished from this community – "

"Traitor!"

" – Your title is revoked – "

"Traitor!"

" – As is your link to those that have come before."

MJ shut her eyes, Davina finally walking down the steps.

"You will no longer have contact with the Ancestors."

Maybe there were some positives.

"To the New Orleans witches."

Still chanting, someone spat on her.

"It will be as though you were never born."

As Davina reached the bottom step, the elders turned their backs. Magic filled the air, being stripped from Davina's body. Her skin turning paler. She could still practise magic, but covens made witches stronger. She was Regent! Energy once bound to her body was being forced out rapidly.

"TRAITOR!"

"MURDERER!"

"I'm sorry, Davina," Vincent dared to say, "It's time."

MJ could hear the sniffle Davina was trying to hide.

She could smell the hint of salt in her eyes.

The sweat on her body as she faced the two lines, someone throwing something through the air, MJ unable to catch it. Davina had killed them. Davina had broken a rule. Davina had to take her punishment because she was an adult. She was. She was –

A stone was picked up.

Chucked through the air.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Everything in the air was frozen, MJ's hands up as she spun around. Rock spamming back to the floor and shattering.

"We read the decree, and we turn away."

Those were the rules.

"You do not attack her."

Regardless of it being Davina, MJ knew what it was like to have witches 'throw stones' at you, and she was not allowing it.

"We are not the generation that treats other witches like this."

A wrist snap and all the stones people had picked up popped into ladybugs, flapping their wings and swarming away.

An oddly terrifying sight.

MJ slowly met Marco's eyes again, focusing on the twinkle in the corner of his eyes.

Turning back around, the other elders followed suit.

Forcing the crowd too.

Davina walked through silence, starting to cough and stumble as the spirits abandoned her lungs. Twisting out of her pores. Blood dripped down her nose, scent clear as MJ clenched her fists until Davina was weak and useless to them.

At the end of the line was a gate.

One of the side exits.

Davina walked in a daze, taking one last look at the cemetery before fleeing.

It was over.

MJ crushed the scroll in her hand and threw it as far as possible.

"It had to be done," Vincent muttered, "She did what we accused her of – "

"I know!" MJ faced him, "And if this had happened months ago, I'd feel shit, but I wouldn't be mad."

"Bullshit," Van challenged, "You play favourites."

"I play smart," She stared him down, "Davina is a Harvest Girl – regardless of her regency, she is powerful."

"And you're scared?"

"I'd rather not hand that power to our enemies!"

Silence.

A ripple as people realised she had a point.

"Hate Davina as much as you want," MJ softened her tone, "For as long as you want. But – "

"I don't care if the vampires kill her."

"They won't!"

Why were people stupid?

"They'll leave her alive, stewing in rage, then aim her directly at you the second you don't do what they want."

Van shifted.

"Out of the loop means weaponisable."

And MJ had lowkey declared war on The Strix.

"But this isn't your fault," She pushed past him to get to Vincent, "Please tell me this wasn't the master plan."

"She can't activate the weapon if she's not The Regent."

"She never would've activated it anyway," MJ shut down, "Davina could've been our way to get it!"

Playing up how much she hated Klaus, getting it off The Strix.

"You signed her up for this, Vincent!"

"And you were right," He accepted, "She wasn't ready."

"So you're gonna be Regent now?"

He didn't respond.

"Stop being a coward."

"You don't want me in charge."

"No," She agreed, "I will be."

Since she wasn't getting shunned.

"As a heretic, I can be channelled, therefore Regent."

A hiss filled the air.

People started to panic, backing away from their shadows as two people crawled out of MJ's.

MJ glared at the sky, "You have got to be kidding me!"

The Pethane.

"You guys said you were leaving!"

"Something's wrong," Clio walked straight to MJ like they didn't have an audience, "Your face."

It looked like the woman had just woken up, hair in knots, eyes weary yet stressed, sleep in them, face pale.

"It should've healed."

"Um – "

"Have you used a healing cream?"

"No. I decided I liked the war-torn aesthetic."

Clio gave her a look.

"Obviously, I tried to heal it – what's that got to do with anything?"

Clio stared at it, "You successfully removed the magic..."

All the stones had been made and infused.

"...Something's blocking your healing process."

The man who'd appeared with her was eyeing up the crowd.

"You need to clear your chakras."

"I clear my chakras every morning," MJ shut down, "Can we have this conversation somewhere else?"

"Scared for your people to see you weak?"

MJ stilled.

"This isn't weakness, MJ," Clio shook her head, "This is something I don't understand."

MJ couldn't help but look at Vincent.

As mad as she was at him for the shunning, his worry about her was clear, and he knew magic.

Clio spun to Neph and Nadage, "What has Legba told you?"

Their eyes widened as the onlookers were given another reason to mutter.

Hearing a coven elder in the same sentence as a voodoo Lwa wasn't good. Especially when most people there were elders, i.e. old, i.e. unhappy MJ had basically un-shunned the Voodoo Queens.

"Do you still sense him on her?"

"Um?" Nadage stared at MJ, slow headshake turning rapid, "There's no voodoo in that woman."

"You got your 'spirits' possessing her?" Someone from Garden District took advantage, "That explains...this."

"Shut up, Drew," MJ glowered, "They haven't done anything."

Someone else came closer, "You don't know – "

"¡Por Dios! Not everyone is a supervillain!"

Clio's dishevelled state made it clear they'd rushed to find MJ, but it was still sucky timing.

"My brother practised voodoo!" She revealed, "If something's off, I wonder who caused it? The guy who cut my face up or two random people who've done nothing shady!"

Silence.

Clio seemed to realise she'd accidentally started something, "Sorry."

She was still talking to Neph and Nadege.

"My question was only because I saw one of yours tell her about him."

"Tia," MJ saw the shock on their face, "She sensed him."

Nehp was not pleased, "Tia told you this?"

"Is she in danger?" Abigail was asking Clio.

"She will be fine," Clio put on a face, "I need to work out what magic is lingering inside her."

A fixation on MJ's face.

"I will figure it out."

With a breeze, she was gone, her second, a moment later.

"Worse timing ever," MJ huffed, "Regency."

"If you're tainted," Vin spoke carefully, "You can't be it."

"I can, and I will."

"MJ," He sounded concerned, "Are you – "

"Don't you dare play friend right now," She wanted his help, but, "What you just did?"

He looked away.

"Vin."

"The Strix are already gonna aim for you – you want their full force? Or do you want someone in the firing line with you?"

"You don't want my honest answer to that."

"Oh right, you a martyr," He nodded with fake enthusiasm, "Well, I'm not gonna let you stand there alone."

"You're happy for Davina to."

"MJ – "

"Do you know some of the shit I pulled off when I was isolated?"

Vin watched the odd calmness filling her features.

"When I broke Klaus's curse, I didn't have help."

Not magical help.

"I sat alone in an art room when I figured out how to make more hybrids."

She was warping the narrative slightly.

"I've done a lot wrong in the eyes of our spirits," MJ had owned the list in the ritual, "Do you realise why Klaus could make me do so much? Do you realise the correlation?"

"You had friends – "

"I was siphoner scum."

An attitude some of the elders watching them still had.

"Not allowed in the chant camp," She mocked, "Listening to his old witches call me a murderer and evil and the bastard child of nature they didn't want anything to do with."

Vincent swallowed.

"I don't think you or Marcel realise how simultaneously vulnerable and powerful you just made Davina."

A turn to Abigail.

"French Quarter rules; A Harvest Girl can take the place of an elder if one isn't available," She explained, "I'm kinda in the middle of something."

"You wanna give me your votes?"

"Only if I can't be there."

Abigail looked panicked but then met MJ's confident expression.

She found her smile, "I'll do right by you."

"Thank you," She returned to Vincent, "I was in the middle of a meeting with The Strix when I was phoned. I assume everyone would like me to return to that meeting?"

Showing her false smile to everyone.

"You know, doing my job and protecting all of you from the big scary vampires."

People started to look embarrassed.

"Because that's all I've ever done," MJ lost the knives from her tone, "Protect witches."

She needed them on her side, which meant ending the lecture.

"Remember that."

Van's glare was clear.

"If people wanna shun me for what happened?" MJ had a point: "Accidentally enabling a massacre because I didn't let our Regent die isn't against the rules."

Looking at Van one last time.

"Your life has just been turned upside down. Do not let the people using your tragedy manipulate you any further."

Because that was the worry.

"Let yourself grieve."

The parting message, storming out the same gate Davina had been forced through, only to hear footsteps behind her.

A voice calling her name.

Nadege.

MJ paused, "Hey?"

The woman took a second to stare at her, "Tia sensed Papa?"

"...Yeah."

"Please tell me she gave you something for it."

MJ almost smiled, "I thought you didn't want me practising."

"I don't," She crossed her arms, "But I also don't want the only voice watching our backs possessed."

MJ lifted her wrist, showing the charm bracelet, "She gave me this."

The wax design piece in the middle.

"We weren't sure how the rest of you would feel, so we kept it hush."

"We feel worried," Neph walked towards them, "But that should keep you safe."

"Good to know."

Quiet.

"Thank you for coming today," MJ was determined to be positive, "Not the best first meeting – "

"You couldn't have saved her."

A beat.

"You did what you could."

"I...um," MJ breathed out, "I'm not usually on the side of the murderer."

"You live with The Mikaelsons."

"Regarding the covens," MJ rephrased, "But I don't like whatever the hell that was."

"Shunning," She nodded, "Funnily enough, I know a thing about it."

They held each other's looks.

"Our spirits won't get mad if we keep an eye on her."

"Thank you."

~***~

Kol was with Freya and Elijah, trapping Tristan in the upstairs study.

A lot happened after MJ left.

Aurora had revealed that the people who'd dropped Rebekah into the ocean had then been killed, her mind having the latitude, Tristan's having the longitude. Klaus giving her an ultimatum. She thought he was defending her, letting her go, only to give her the option of returning with Rebekah or watching Tristan die. The hybrid had then left with Lucien, aiming to get Camille and The Serraturra.

Tristan was chained to a chair, surrounded by a circle of herbs, Freya drawing runes.

"The spell is complete," She smiled to Kol, "Tristan cannot cross the boundary, but we can enter and leave as we please."

"Here," Maci revealed a needle, "The herbs I used to knock him out when he'd get handsy."

Strolling inside the circle.

"Mixed with hibiscus and mugwort to counter any vervain in his system," She looked back at the group, "May I?"

Elijah let himself enjoy the sight, "If you wish."

"Is no one going to question where she got it from?" Freya had to ask.

"Mira's room," Maci smiled, "Her ingredients box is phenomenal – and all the tools?"

A nod to Kol.

"You're a lucky man."

The needle was stabbed into Tristan's neck.

"And you can now compel Rebekah's longitude."

"I'm immune," Tristan muttered, "Regardless of vervain."

"No one is entirely immune," Elijah reasoned, "You can fight it – but the strength required?"

Maci stabbed him again.

"I doubt you possess enough of it."

"And if he does," Freya shrugged, "We'll find other ways to make him talk."

"I love this," Kol pulled a dagger from Freya's ingredients kit, "These types of weapons..."

The metal was slightly wavy, styled for sacrifice.

"Crafted to be beautiful."

Maci and Elijah both took half-steps back as he walked inside the circle.

"But if you actually use it?" Kol lodged it into Tristan's gut, "You can't really pull it out!"

Yanking and yanking, acting like he didn't have the strength to rip it through flesh deliberately, as Tristan tried not to cry out. Only for Kol to keep his hold on the handle, digging not only deeper but twisting up.

"Kol," Elijah mused.

"I'd quite like – " He felt something hard, moving the metal back and forth, "To saw his lungs out in peace."

"He's just upset I tortured Aurora without his permission," Freya glowered.

"Freya," Elijah's lips twitched, "I'm obscenely fond of torture."

A snapping sound accompanied by Tristan's scream, metal stuck, forcing Kol to shove his hand in, pulling out a bone attached to the blade and tearing them apart. Licking his thumb clean of blood while crouching at eye level with the man, he waved it tauntingly.

"That's one of twenty-four."

"When I'm entertaining," Elijah came closer, "I like to be the one to choose precisely when and how we violate the guests."

Kol gave him a look, "Are you kidding me?"

His elder brother nodded.

"You're so boring, though!"

"Can any torture be called boring?" Maci pondered.

"Yes!" Kol nodded, "Both of you suffer the same weakness with it."

"Hey!"

"You never milk a kill, Mac."

"For random people," She agreed, "For the man who spent nearly a century killing everyone in my life?"

Pointed glare on Tristan.

"After the compulsion wore off," She snatched the bloodied rib from him, "He made it his life's mission to get revenge on me."

"It was not revenge," Tristan muttered darkly, "We had known each other since we were children. I deserved you – "

"But I picked him. And he chose me. And if you wanted to change that, killing the people I surrounded myself with through the 1200s wasn't the way to go."

The bone was lodged into his eye.

"Or perhaps I'll let you two take the lead," Elijah relaxed, "Devastate his body, infiltrate the mind, and steal the information we need."

"Of course you're fine with her doing it!" Kol huffed.

"Whine when your sister's location has been discovered, Kol," He smiled, "I hope I can trust you to torture quickly."

"Elijah?" Hayley's voice in the corridor.

The cooing of a child.

They all paused.

Hope was wide awake, balanced on Hayley's hip as she lingered enough for her to see in but not close enough for Hope to.

"I got your text?"

"Unless she's violently teething," He vamped to the doorway to block the view, "I don't recommend this as a daycare..."

"Jack's gone."

Freya and Kol shared a glance.

"And I don't know if he's coming back."

Maci pulled the bone out of the eye.

"I also don't want to talk about it."

Kol perked up slightly.

"So, which of you will take Hope while I take out my anger on this pompous dick."

"Me," Freya wasn't covered in blood, "Come here, baby girl."

She pushed past Elijah to take Hope from Hayley.

"Who's the cutest little girl."

"Khol!" She spotted him, "Meerma?"

Clapping hands.

"Khol and Meerma!"

"MJ isn't here right now," Hayley kissed her forehead, "Go with Auntie Freya."

"Noh."

Carrying her far away.

"MEERMA."

"Shh, shh, sweetie," Freya rocked while walking, "Shhhhh."

Hayley came towards Kol, "She's been screaming for MJ and you since Jack left."

Kol's brain seem to break, raising a confused eyebrow.

"It was just MJ, then it was both, then it was MJ again," Hayley's body was rigid and tired, "She hasn't seen her since Halloween. She's clearly used to seeing her every day."

They'd all be so busy.

"And if she screams your name again."

A threatening look.

"You are going to run to her."

Eyes yellow.

"And play with her," Hayley's tone sharp, "And make her happy."

Kol gulped, "Understood."

"And that would be a baby," Maci hadn't seen her yet, "Was half-convinced Klaus having a child was a joke."

"Nope," Hayley beelined to Tristan, "And I love her. And I love her aunt."

Eyes turning yellow.

"And I'm incredibly hungry."

Elijah gestured, "Bon Appetit!"

Kol's turn to step back as she lunged on him, biting instantly, Tristan's screams making him grin ear-to-ear. Momentary fear that she'd been about to bite him for not giving her daughter enough attention vanished.

"Do you want me to call Sam?" Kol tilted his head as she started to punch, "To either help with this or babysit."

"I asked Sam," Hayley hit harder, "To deal with Jack."

Teeth drove into the other side of his neck.

"And I also said," Her chin stained red, "I didn't want to talk about it."

"This was my man to torture!"

"Kol," Maci tugged his arm, "Hayley's doing a magnificent job."

Hayley looked at her, confused by the compliment.

"Why don't we give her the space to work."

Kol rolled his eyes, storming past the chair and onto the balcony.

Maci shared a look with Elijah before following a moment later.

"Kol!"

"What?"

"They'll always be another man to torture."

"That man has my sister."

Maci really looked at him.

"The only person allowed to pull one over on Rebekah is me."

"Obviously," She nodded, "What else?"

He frowned.

"Playing redeemed man exhausting and need this to keep doing it?"

"Why does everyone assume I lie to Mira?" He looked disgusted, "You saw her ready to do this with me."

Maci leant on the railing, "What's got you so riled up then?"

He rolled his eyes.

"I know you have a short fuse, but what did Hayley do?"

"...Nothing..."

"Then what?"

He scanned her.

"Kol."

"Camille."

Maci raised an eyebrow, "Mira's girlfriend?"

"Not actually," Kol corrected, "Klaus has a thing for her. She was playing protective friend."

"Makes sense."

"Because they are friends," He slowed his words, "Cami and her."

"Okay?"

"And..."

"You want to play saviour as a good boyfriend?"

"She's my friend too," He hunched into the railing, "I don't like that Klaus just stormed off!"

"We can look for her."

"...Maybe."

"Kol Mikaelson," She teased, "Not just doing what you want, consequences be damned?"

"It's Rebekah."

Listening to Hayley still beating Tristan up.

"I...Help find Rebekah, or help find Cami."

"Ah," She clicked, "Helping people making your brain hurt?"

He glared at her in confirmation, making her laugh, daring to ruffle his hair.

"I'm so proud."

"I will drain you and enjoy it."

Hayley made a gruff sound from inside.

Kol's eyes lingered on the door.

A different edge to it, pinned on Elijah.

"...Kol?"

"Come with me," He walked along the balcony, beelining to MJ's magic room.

Making sure both doors were shut.

"The nerve of him," Kol looked ready to strangle someone, "Do you know how many lectures I've received for bringing out the worst in MJ?"

Maci bit into her cheek.

"Then he brings her here to do just that?"

Maci's eyes narrowed.

"Don't defend him – "

"I wasn't going to," Maci rejected, "Her husband, the werewolf?"

"What of him?"

"What do you know about him?"

"That he's devoted to her."

Maci stared at the door, "Anything else?"

"He and Mira are close," Kol admitted, "Closer than they appear, anyway."

He saw how often MJ and he texted.

"He's not a fan of my family."

"His wife's having an emotional affair with your brother; obviously, he's not a fan."

"Oh," Kol's tone lifted, "I love it when you get jealous."

"Not jealous. Concerned."

Eyes drifting towards the door.

"I don't like people playing with feelings."

"Hayley didn't really choose to marry him – "

"Who said I was talking about her."

~***~

MJ had somewhat lied in her excuse to leave the witches. She'd eventually return to The Compound, but she needed to find Davina first, using a vial of blood from that first year to speed to Gillespie's Pub. Seeing the girl sitting at the bar, staring forward like she couldn't move.

MJ's hand was on the door when she froze too.

The girl they'd met at The Pethane camp was joining her.

Lavali held two drinks, a smile appearing on Davina's face as she clicked who was sitting with her.

"Mira!" Klaus's voice, Davina jolting at the sound of it.

Turning to the door.

Seeing MJ there.                  

MJ made a heart with her hands, followed by a loving thumb up, before turning to Klaus, the hybrid managing to completely miss what MJ had been looking at, Lucien behind him.

"Urgh," MJ groaned, "Him."

"Me," Lucien smiled.

"He lost Cami," Klaus kept walking, forcing them to rush after him.

"Lost is not quite the right word," Lucien corrected, "Aurora took her."

MJ's breath in held rage.

"You're little story failed to trick her."

"It wasn't a story," MJ grunted, "I love that woman."

Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"And if anything happens to her?"

If people were going to make assumptions about MJ and Klaus, she would drive her and Cami into the ground to prove a point. MJ did love her. She loved all of her New Orleans friends, but the way she and Cami were together? All the little things they only did with each other?

"You're gonna be begging for death."

Lucien's lips twitched, "I cannot wait."

MJ lunged, slamming him into the side of the nearest building and punching him square in the face before wrapping a hand around his neck to choke and siphon simultaneously.

Klaus had to stop her.

Not pulling her off, just placing a calm hand on her shoulder.

His eyes met hers, a clear message behind them.

He needed MJ to keep it together, or he would lose it too.

MJ slowly released Lucien's neck.

Taking a step back.

"I need a hit," MJ put it simply, "I need – "

Blood.

"I'm fine!"

Later.

Trying to get her brain to work.

"I can track her," MJ didn't want to think about blood, "I have Cami's blood at The Compound."

Klaus visibly relaxed.

"If the pair of you don't mind me saying," Lucien pushed off the wall, "Aurora wanted Klaus looking for a needle in a vile haystack."

"Doesn't mean he has to."

"Not saying he does," Lucien straightened his shirt, "But it means she has a plan. Most likely, a devious one. Given how vindictive she is, why bother playing her game? Why chase after her?"

Klaus was bug-eyed, "I'm not playing for her."

Lucien sighed at that response.

"Do not try and demean me – "

"What's the best-case scenario?" Lucien sounded like he was trying to be a friend, "You save Cami today; Aurora will kill her some other time. And you can't very well kill Aurora, given she alone has the information needed to find Rebekah – "

"I'm quite aware of the dilemma."

"Um," MJ waved a hand, "What about Rebekah's location?"

"Tristan and Aurora split the longitude and latitude between them," Lucien revealed, "Meaning we can't kill either of them."

"We can," MJ smiled at him, "Whatever Tristan did at the Stix Party to hide his memories? When someone dies, spells get funky."

If they killed Elena, they could wake her with a resurrection spell.

"I can find the location in the last eight minutes of brain activity after death."

Klaus let himself smile, "You continue to be my favourite."

"Favourite what?" MJ teased, "Asset or?"

"Friend."

"The very thing meant to kill one of your family," Lucien eyeing her, "Can I ask why Cami is worth this much work?"

Klaus was starting to snarl.

"Killing a past love, playing with the harpy – because?"

"I trust her," Klaus picked the easy answer, "Which is more than can be said for you."

"I handed over the medallion!"

"You can help or go," MJ interrupted, "I'll get the blood."

Turning to talk just to Klaus, his hand still on her shoulder.

"Message you with a location."

"If I find her first, I'll say."

"Speak soon."

~***~

Getting tackled at vampire speed was something else; MJ barrelled into a wall by The Compound. Pinned, face-to-face with Aya. The woman stepping back to free her, a confident smile on her face.

"One way to say hello."

"Better than how I say goodbye."

"Let me guess," MJ relaxed against the wall, "You're here to make a deal?"

"A proposition."

"Changing the verbiage doesn't make it any less stupid," MJ smiled, "You needed Davina to activate The Serratura."

The word people had thrown about.

"She doesn't have the power any more; therefore, you come to me?"

Aya raised her eyebrows.

"Like I'd say yes."

"I thought you'd consider it more."

"Then you know nothing about me."

"A woman willing to sacrifice everything for the people she cares about," Aya spoke coolly, "I wonder what happens when those people are in opposition?"

MJ narrowed her eyes.

"Pria Yadav was a wildcard," She announced, "Different to our usual selections, but Tristan was adamant she had worth."

"Don't..."

"I think I finally see it."

"You can't manipulate me with Pri."

"Who said anything about manipulation?" Aya lifted her hands, "If you view her as being in danger...you'd think you would hold your tongue towards me."

MJ felt herself about to growl.

"Maybe she doesn't mean anything to you."

Blinking slowly to ignore the dryness in her throat.

"After years of dedication to you – no matter how you treated her in response, and even now – "

"Pri can handle herself," MJ shut down, "You come for her; you're gonna be the one not walking away from the fight."

Aya almost seemed amused, "And can you?"

"Walk away from a fight – "

"Handle yourself," She stepped closer, "The universe is ever-changing – "

"You don't say!"

"Kol Mikaelson can not protect you from everything – just ask Marceline."

MJ rolled her eyes.

"I think we could come to quite the agreement – "

"I'd never help you lock up – "

"I do not seek you out for the Serratura."

MJ shifted.

"Why waste your talents on something as small as that?"

"If you're about to talk about your Sisters – "

"If you wish to meet them," She offered, "I can arrange an introduction."

MJ considered it.

Not to join – but she needed to see them.

To determine how much power they had and what made it so corruptive.

"Raiosun," MJ spoke, "Curandero. The Witch Doctor."

Aya raised an eyebrow.

"What do you know about him?"

"An incredibly useful dark magic site."

"You ever meet the guy?"

"What's it to you?"

"General intrigue about your Strix network," She covered, "Tristan offered it to Marcel like he didn't have MiMi Pasare on speed dial."

"And Marcel accepted it," Aya gleamed, "What does that say about his – "

"Stop trying to manipulate me."

"I don't need to," She nodded, "Simply ask, and I will bring you to brethren you have more in common with than the people lining the streets to shun a child."

"I'll keep it in mind," MJ walked away.

"We would be able to keep you safe."

"If you're so good at protecting people," MJ looked over her shoulder, "Why do we have Tristan tied to a chair while you run around the city trying to blackmail me?"

Aya's face changed entirely, showing she hadn't known that information.

MJ winked, then took off again.

~***~

In the upstairs study, Hayley was still tearing into Tristan; Elijah was about to re-enter, only for Maci to appear in the corridor, giving him a look.

"Lina," His hand rested on the door handle, "Are you okay?"

"Are you?"

He frowned, another scream.

"Is she?"

"Hayley is quite capable – "

"Her husband has just left her," Maci stopped him, "Quite possibly because of her continued involvement with your family. Is this really going to help with that?"

He seemed baffled by her interest.

"She married him."

"He walked away."

"Until the divorce papers are filed, they are married."

There was another punch.

"And she is going through a million emotions right now. This – "

A flopping noise.

" – Is not the way to help."

"If you," Hayley opened the door, "Are going to judge me. At least do it to my face."

"Not a judgement on you," Maci was staring at the Original, "Of the man who's spent centuries lecturing and demeaning his family for doing exactly what he is doing with you."

Elijah glanced towards the magic room's shut door.

"There is a difference between 'letting the blood flow' and 'sinking further into the choices that have pushed you to need to relax,'" Maci's tone was gentle, "Hayley – take a day to yourself."

"Rebekah is – "

"Immortal," She shut down, "You come here; you're expected to be someone. You go home; you're expected to be someone else. A mother. A wife. Take five seconds to breathe!"

"Why do you care what I do?"

"Because I have been you."

Their argument that morning seemed to be off Maci's mind.

"Then again, you followed through – so your heart must be stronger than mine."

Hayley didn't seem to know how to respond to that.

"She does not need to be here," Maci was back to Elijah, "She is not Rebekah's sibling. She is not at risk from a sire line. There was no need to invite her, but you did."

Silence.

"When you could have perked your ears and easily heard the lack of help she had with her baby today. When did you stop thinking, Elijah?"

"Jackson's grandmother arrived," Hayley spoke, "Which is strange considering he's sulking in The Bayou."

"Because you haven't been sulking since I got here?" Maci had always been blunt, "Angry about a man who can do whatever he pleases. Imagine how your husband must feel."

The sympathy wasn't meant to absolve Hayley of guilt.

"But lest not speak kindly of those actually victims of our actions?"

A beat.

"Hayley. I feel for your situation. But you do not have to be here."

"I was called."

"And you can say no. Kol's been doing it for centuries."

"And he's still here – "

"Go," Elijah's eyes were on Maci's face, "You've done more than enough, Hayley."

Hayley looked at Tristan.

"Go to your family."

She blinked slowly.

"Please."

"We will get Rebekah's location," Maci promised her, "Tristan is my demon to defeat."

The hybrid slowly nodded, giving the pair one last look.

Leaving them to take in Tristan's semi-unconscious form.

Maci whacked the door shut again, facing Elijah on the interior balcony, "Are you okay?"

He sighed.

"Do not get bitter with me," She turned her nose up, "You never should've summoned her."

"She is family."

"Niklaus's. His daughters."

He opened his mouth.

"She may have been the one to make a vow, but there is a limit on how much leniency the cheating partner can get."

"Hayley would never – "

"Emotional cheating is still a betrayal."

Elijah let his shoulders slump, "The wedding..."

"It was situational, not love."

He nodded.

"Elijah," Maci moved closer, "You have a tragic habit of that."

He actually managed a laugh.

Her moving to take his hand, pulling it closer so he could rest against her.

Rocking gently on the balcony space.

"Something tells me you haven't been held accountable in a while."

"Kol does the job quite decently."

"But he is your baby brother," She jested, "His opinion doesn't matter."

"Don't let him hear you say that," Elijah lifted a hand to her face, "Lina – "

"If they do not understand and adore all of you, they are not the one."

He felt guilty about the position.

"And not worth this pain – for either of you."

"She does."

"Really?" Maci just couldn't believe it, "Truly?"

"How could she not when she has been around us so consistently."

"Because it is easy to view you as a saint when the point of reference is Niklaus."

He couldn't bring himself to step back.

"No one is a saint, you especially," She spoke calmly, "But you don't need to be."

His eyebrows creased.

"You need to be honest with yourself about what makes you happy."

Elijah tilted his head slightly, not sure how to feel.

Maci's hand lifted to rest over his, "I should have taken you to my home when you offered."

"I would have proposed."

"I'm sure," She leant back, using his weight to ground her, "And your family would forever thank me for keeping your need to be in control occupied."

"I am not the sibling desperate to control others."

"Then why obsess over this prophecy?"

"Because some important lives depend on my continued existence."

"We have been alive for a thousand years, Elijah," She smiled, "If you claim it is out of protecting me, let me free you."

He watched how she spoke.

"If I die? I die."

He frowned.

"We're too old to care about death – we have been lucky enough to have enjoyed each other and seen civilisation become what it has. If our time is up, we meet it together, with grace."

He tensed, "You are done with living?"

"Not if I don't have to be."

His shoulders relaxed.

"But I won't throw a hissy fit or expect you to extend this for anyone else. If you cannot take this any longer, you do not need to carry it on for everyone else."

"Mass murder is a bit of a dramatic way to go."

"There are ways to pass on differently," She reasoned, "Remove your spirit. Break your sire line. Simply retire! Come abroad with me. Be just an uncle. Enjoy immortality."

He couldn't help but smile at the simultaneously depressing and hopeful message.

"You have to remember that I was a witch, Elijah," Maci stepped away, "I believe in the passage of life, even if it takes some of us longer to get there."

"And the young ones. The people you never intended to turn?"

"I am here to keep them safe," She reaffirmed, "But if you are not happy – "

"I am happier than I was."

"Then I intend to keep that upwards projection by helping you locate your sister."

"I might have made an opp-sie," MJ declared, appearing on the stairs, "Aya knows we have Tristan."

Elijah wasn't bothered, "I assume by your phrasing that you told her?"

"Somewhat."

Kol appeared from the magic room, "When did you see Aya?"

"She wants to introduce me to The Sisters," MJ flexed, "Didn't specify why, but half-tempted – "

"MJ!"

"Let her," Maci perked up, "We can spell her up beforehand to ensure there's no trick."

Kol considered it, "Would be nice to have an update on whatever they're up to."

"Maybe Aya will bring 'em to save him," MJ opened the door to see Tristan, "Hey, bestie."

He somehow smirked, "And they wish to release you on me now? I must be causing a problem."

"Your sister, actually," She collected some of his blood, "I'm gonna murder her."

Tristan went still, "You can't – "

"I can search minds after death," MJ nodded joyously, "So Rebekah's location will be readily available. I'll have Cami back. And then you'll be next."

Kol frowned, "Lucien had Cami."

"She stole her," MJ turned, headed to the magic room, "I wanna check they're in the same place, in case she's leading Klaus astray and left Cami to bleed out."

Grabbing a vial from her bedside table.

"You wanna murder her with me?"

"Is that even a question?"

"Love you," MJ winked, spilling both vials over her map of the city, "Encontrenn Jwenn Tra."

The universe flashed yellow before her.

"Encontrenn Jwenn Tra."

The sound of liquid moving, both collections curling up in the same spot, except for the tiny spec that came to The Compound to represent Tristan.

"Encontrenn Jwenn Tra."

The spell finished.

"St Anne's," MJ groaned, "Why did I expect something cool and new?"

Kol laughed.

"Let's – "

"Don't be so swift," Tristan called, Elijah and Maci still with him, "You went into my mind already."

MJ drifted towards the corridor.

"You found nothing, and yet?"

"All of this should've been there," MJ agreed, "Wanna talk about that?"

"I want to see the great Pasare mind at work."

Maci was creeping closer to him.

"Figure it out."

"Figured," MJ rose to the challenge, "It wasn't cloaked. There was no kickback to any spell hiding anything."

Maci and Elijah had a silent conversation.

"You knew you were going to see me that night. You knew from Lucien that I instantly forced a mind read."

"Possibly."

"Therefore, you had The Sisters remove anything remotely sus."

He lifted his brows innocently.

"Enough parts of your days and nights still there to avoid a quick scanner from questioning anything, but even when I scan quick? I'm thorough."

"You mean," Maci's expression soured, "We're trying to get information that might not even be in his head currently."

"And that would vanish from this plane," Tristan confirmed, "If I were to die. No consciousness to return the memories too."

"How would you even do that?"

"Some kind of liquid storage?" MJ theorised, "Water is a closed system. We can't have more than what we have, we can't have less, we can only make unusable."

Not the point.

"Removing memories risks damage if the storage can be damaged. Water? Even if it gets warm, if it's in a container, you'll still have everything to return to the owner when wanted."

A pause.

"Though, that's not what Lucien had."

Tristan's heart thumped.

"You didn't know he hadn't done that too."

"He went to The Sisters to have the spell performed."

"Actually," Maci enjoyed speaking up, "His occasional visits were to steal spell books for me."

Yet his mind had been cloaked.

"Not as aligned as you thought," Kol mused, "Him abandoning you to help Klaus should've revealed that."

"Mira," Elijah hesitated, "Can we kill him?"

"...Not sure," She hated, "I'll test it on Aurora."

"Test," Tristan pulled on his chains, "And you'll lose Rebekah."

"I'm willing to risk it."

"I'm not," Elijah was stern.

MJ gave him a look.

Reminding him who was saying it.

That it was a bluff.

"I'm sure," Elijah straightened up, "You'll figure something out."

"Yup."

~***~

MJ only texted Klaus the location once she and Kol were already there. She didn't wanna risk sending him into a trap, listening to the women talk as they snuck in.

"I will not ask again," Aurora spoke sharply, "Your greatest shame."

The couple shared a look.

"Admit it – And do not bother lying," She threatened, "I will know, and I will end you."

MJ went to rush, Kol catching her arm, motioning to ears.

Aurora was so focused on Cami that she hadn't heard them arrive, giving them an opportunity.

MJ lifted her hand, cloaking them.

"Junior year of college," Cami spoke woozily, a bite mark clear, "I was arrested for assault and battery."

"Fabulous!" Aurora did a mini clap, "Now that's more like it."

She was moving towards a bench press, using it as an actual bench.

"Do go on."

"It was some guy," Cami admitted, "He was dating my roommate."

Kol stepped towards Aurora, only for MJ to shake her head rapidly.

"She tried to break up with him, so he broke her nose."

He saw the black lines creeping under her cheeks.

The smell was so evident in the air.

Cami's blood was like a dream MJ couldn't stop having, the last thing she needed in her nose after a day of stress and rage begging her to feed. Her hands turned to fists as she held herself back, trying to stare anywhere except for the bite mark. 

"I tried to get her to go to the police."

Kol moved to the human.

"But she was too scared," Cami's eyes dropped, "I hated that he was just getting away with it, and I saw him one night at a bar, hitting on a freshman."

Voice turning cold.

"So, I took a beer bottle and smashed it in his face."

Aurora squealed excitedly while Kol clocked MJ's lack of reaction to it.

"The next thing I knew, I was kneeling on his chest and pounding his head into the floor."

It wasn't news to MJ.

"And by the time they pulled me off of him, he wasn't laughing."

Aurora was analysing her, "You're not ashamed, either."

"Why should she be?" MJ dropped her spell, "I'm certainly not going to be."

Fist slamming into the back of Aurora's skull, sending her to the floor, Kol shoving his bitten wrist into Cami's mouth as she half-screamed in panic. Only relaxing when she clocked it was him. And when she saw MJ's sharp posture, her hand rushed to cover the wound herself.

"Hello again."

"Hello," Aurora smiled at her, "Here I was expecting Nik."

"Screw romance," She stomped through Aurora's ankle, "You touch my girl?"

The woman trying to push up anyway.

"I kill you."

Fangs drove straight into Aurora's neck, only to get a laugh in response, "I love a good plot twist."

MJ leant her head back.

"Waiting for Nik," She clicked her healing ankle, "Finding you."

MJ's hand broke through her back, finding her heart. Walking her forward until her face hit the wire of the boxing ring, her second hand looping into her hair to slam the face forward and back, sending cracks through her spine.

"They make stories more exciting," She sputtered, "Wouldn't you agree, my love?"

Klaus marched in, "Release her."

"No," MJ tightened the hold on the heart, "She wants to play a game? She gets me."

"This is not a game!" Aurora squealed, hands trying to push against the wire, "This is an intervention."

"Goodie," Kol rolled his eyes, "I have a list of his habits I'd love to intervene with."

"Unless they are as important as mine," She gasped in pain, "They can wait."

"They're – "

She whipped back, nails cutting MJ's wrist, "Let me go!"

The intensity of the hold reminded MJ that the woman was over a thousand.

Cutting up her flesh until her brain felt muddled from pain.

"Now!"

MJ did, releasing the heart, but standing in the way, meaning Aurora had to get through her to get to anyone else. She was a witch. MJ was stronger than her! She was just acting without her brain, which was out of character, and kinda scaring herself.

"Nik!" Aurora pouted, "You are in danger of losing the love of your life!"

They all looked confused.

"Me."

MJ was ready to bite her again.

"We're finally reunited, all the world before us, if we can just dodge a few minor obstacles," She spoke gently, "This nuisance of a prophecy, my brother's internment, the insufferable influence of Elijah – we can beat it all."

MJ had to appreciate the devotion.

"But I cannot overcome your affections for someone else."

"Oh my god!" MJ was so done with vengeful exes, "Do you not deserve better?"

Silence.

Awkward looks as she brushed her bloody hand into her hair.

"Aurora," MJ stared at her, "This man throws a tantrum every other day. Spent a year attending High School dances because he had no life. And is willing to kill you!"

Kol snorted.

"Have some standards."

"We are in love – "

"What's his favourite drink?"

Aurora blinked, confused.

"What's his favourite artist?"

"What are you – "

"You don't love him!" MJ snapped, "You love thousand-year-old memories!"

Something in her brain just felt bad for the woman.

"But regardless of what Elijah did, you don't know who this person is. And this type of 'devotion' shouldn't be wasted on someone you don't know anymore!"

"I wish to know him," Aurora rebutted, "But this mortal relation is getting in the way."

"I've been locked in a room since you've been here!" Cami reminded her, "How have I impacted anything?"

Aurora looked at Klaus, "Do you actually love her?"

"I love you."

"Oh my god," MJ was gonna kill him, "Stop lying to her!"

MJ actually stepped back to allow Aurora the chance to move.

"Cami is leaving."

"Not before I rip her throat out," Aurora rebutted, "I wanted her to know the truth about his feelings before she died."

"No," MJ pointed at her like she was scolding a dog, "I will leave with her."

Another round of confusion.

"And so will Kol – and you two will have a mature conversation about this."

"Mira," Klaus sighed.

"She just confirmed that saying 'I love you' wasn't the out you thought," MJ stressed, "Her older brother is using her."

His attitude to MJ's question showed that.

"Elijah's ruined her sense of self. And you are going to explain to her why you can't just restart a relationship a thousand years later without prior meetings!"

Maci and Elijah seemed to work because they'd been able to be on and off through the centuries.

"You've clearly not been allowed to live."

Aurora's eyes on her.

"Have this conversation, then leave."

"My brother – "

"Does not deserve your help."

It felt like she was staring into a mirror.

"Take your opportunity, and leave him to the consequences of his actions."

The plan had been Lucien and Tristan's.

"See the world, and get to live in the present, not the memories you've clearly had to hide in to compartmentalise whatever hell Tristan's been shoving you through."

Holding on to memories that tightly was MJ's forte.

"If you don't?" Her threat, "Next time we meet?"

Was she really about to let Aurora walk away?

"The heart's coming out."

A firm look at Klaus.

Seeing an edge of hurt in his eyes made her hesitate.

She tilted her head, knowing she'd have to deal with that later, but she wanted Cami out of that church before another fight broke out. And before she got carried away with how satisfying it had felt to beat Aurora's head in.

Maybe MJ would regret sparing her, but she had to have hope.

If Aurora walked away, maybe MJ could let Ryos go too.

Vamping Cami and herself out, MJ only stilled once they were back in The Compound Courtyard. Her arms were wrapped around Cami's back and legs to carry her bridal style, the familiar surroundings allowing her friend to hold her tighter, burying her head into MJ's shoulder.

"MJ – "

"Hey," MJ kissed her forehead, "It's all okay."

"Lucien – "

"We know," MJ lowered her towards a chair, "You got him to text me about watching The Bachelorette alone?"

"I knew you'd know."

Stepping back to smile at her, MJ finally took the surrounding in.

"Oh my god! What happened?"

The entire place was trashed, decorations smashed up, the table collapsed on itself, and bloodstains were everywhere. MJ cautiously stood back up, protective arms out, blocking Cami from any potential attack.

"If someone's here – "

"Just left," Elijah was at the top of the stairs, "Camille."

He relaxed at the sight of her.

"You're alive."

"Barely," Her neck was healed but stained, "But yes."

MJ pointed about, "What happened?"

"Aya attacked."

"And won?"

"She had a few surprises."

Both glanced at Cami as fear slowly returned to her eyes, looking into every shadowy corner like a Strix might still be lurking in it.

"Cam," MJ forced herself to relax, "You wanna lie down in my room?"

"I'm fine."

"As someone who spent three days the hostage of a psychotic British vampire," MJ phrased it as stupidly as she could, Cami's lips twitching, "Go lie down."

"...Okay."

The pair watched her go up the stairs as Maci walked onto the balcony to watch too.

Nodding down to MJ.

"I hate everyone!" Kol arrived in a flurry, "I was meant to be allowed to kill someone today!"

He ranted.

"Not only was I kicked off the torture team, but we're not killing Aurora?"

Elijah frowned, "You left Aurora alive?"

"She's not the problem," MJ flopped onto the couch, "She's just emotional and hurt."

"She stole – "

"We will find Rebekah!" MJ hit her head back, "I just..."

She'd needed to give Aurora a chance to reclaim her story.

"She's Klaus's problem now."

Kol looked around, "Camille?"

"In my room."

"Good," Kol noticed the mess late, too, "What happened here?"

"Strix attack," Maci joined them on the bottom floor.

"Can we put the house in Freya's name yet?" MJ rubbed her face, "Or does someone need to kidnap Hope in her sleep for us to do that very logical thing?"

"We will," Elijah agreed, "Marcel and Pri were among the attackers."

"They gave us a warning," Maci defended, "And they held back on their punches."

"Still."

"It's a tactic," MJ theorised, "Marcel shows loyalty and gets Bex's location."

Elijah nodded, "That was the pitch."

"To be fair," Kol scrunched his nose, "Tristan is stupid enough to buy that."

"We shall see."

There was a bang from MJ's room.

"You know what," MJ was incredibly tense, "I'm gonna go check on Cami."

"No sleeping with her," Kol called after her, "The polygamy was a joke."

"But I was so looking forward to the 'thank you for rescuing me' sex!"

"Ha-ha."

MJ blew him a kiss, vamping to her room.

No one had broken in to steal her again, the sound simply Cami flinching in panic when she'd closed her eyes and knocked over MJ's lamp. Easily fixed, climbing under the cover to wrap her arms, letting Cami snuggle in closer. Sleep, knowing she was safe. Nothing about to get through a heretic.

Caroline had always needed someone in a room with her after bad days.

MJ had needed it too, queen of not sleeping out of fear.

No one was allowed to sleep with their metaphorical hand on a wall if MJ was there to comfort them.

~***~

Elijah was walking down the stairs, Maci having left to check on Pri, when his phone went off. A few more people had been compelled to clean up the mess of the fight around them, Kol sitting with Klaus in the courtyard once the man had returned.

He'd moved to kill Aurora, but she'd slipped through his fingers.

"Your ability to be distracted has gotten worse," Kol was sipping bourbon, "If you'd been this pathetic back in the day – "

"Kol," Klaus glared.

"Sorry! I'm a bit pent up," He smiled fakely, "It's what happens when you're not allowed to kill your prey."

"Perhaps there is some murder yet," Elijah lifted the device, "Marcel's plan worked."

Kol raised his glass, somehow the only one of the brothers who'd thought it might've.

"The Strix has numerous corporate assets, including private airlines. One of them specialises in cargo jets," He was reading through a document, "According to Marcel, a vessel they favour the most has the codename 'Cepheus.'"

Klaus finally managed to look something other than miserable.

"Maci has information that shows Aya on a flight from Marrakesh to John F Kennedy Airport, changing to go here. Only one ticket, despite travelling with companions."

Cross-referencing all his sources.

"A different flight going to Miami the very same night our sister was taken," He put the phone away, "Now we have the course; all we need to do is match the path."

"With the latitude I plucked from Aurora," Klaus hadn't walked away empty-handed.

"'X' marks the spot."

Kol smiled slightly, " Tristan and Aurora have no leverage left."

"We are free to deal with them however we choose," Elijah smiled to Kol, "I would like something delightfully gruesome – if there is already something that fits the criteria on your mind?"

"It can do," Kol relaxed back, "Can we do it tonight?"

"Leave Aurora to me," Klaus's eyes were steady.

"You let her get away – "

"Mira let her get away."

Silence.

"Nik," Kol put the drink down, "You're not actually mad at her?"

Elijah watched the tension in Klaus's body.

"Of course you are, you fop."

"Hm."

Elijah spoke, "What happened?"

"Mira said he had no life," Kol gleamed, "And told Aurora to raise her standards."

Elijah seemed torn about how to react.

"Nik's taking it personally," Kol topped their drinks up, "Instead of being grateful that she was helping him dump her."

Klaus just accepted the top-up.

"Going forward – "

"Going forward," Klaus interrupted, "My only goal is to ensure she suffers."

He pushed to his feet, heading up the stairs.

Cami being in MJ's room meant he couldn't hear in, and he didn't like it. Gently pushing the door open, the pair now awake, Cami rubbing her forehead, MJ's arm over her shoulder, talking lowly to catch her up on everything that had happened while she'd been with Lucien.

While it wasn't the cheeriest topic, Cami wanted to know.

MJ paused when he loitered in the doorway.

"Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine," Cami sat up, "My head is throbbing, but all things considered..."

"She's got healing tea," MJ nodded, "And blood in her."

"It's not an injury," Cami sighed, "It's a mental thing."

"I have herbs for that too."

"...Maybe."

"Tonight," Klaus sounded nervous, "You are..."

A pause.

"I'd like for you to stay here."

MJ curled her bottom lip in.

"Where I can protect you."

"We," MJ slipped off the bed, "I'll, uh, I'm gonna get more tea."

Cami managed a weak smile, "Thank you."

MJ went to close the door but paused.

Klaus watched her.

"While you drink bourbon non-stop, you actually prefer white rum," She listed, "Though you secretly love absinthe. Only pretending it's not your favourite because you don't wanna admit you like the same things as Kol."

"That's not – "

"It's incredibly true."

His eyebrows jumped, eyes challenging, but he didn't disagree again.

"And you hate chamomile tea because it was your mother's favourite."

He lifted his nose.

"You say Francis Bacon is your favourite artist to piss me off," She didn't hesitate, "But you adore every work by Caspar Friedrich."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Because even though it isn't what would be dubbed as stereotypical abstract, the emotional focus on nature and symbolism speaks to you."

He tried to hide his smile.

"Not only do I know you."

Klaus bobbed his head, hands behind his back in acceptance.

"But I love you."

He started to untense.

"And sometimes..."

Eyes sparkling innocently.

"I think you need to get a life."

With a wink, MJ slammed the door shut, leaving the pair to talk without eavesdroppers, sliding down the stair railing as Kol stretched his hand towards her. Elijah and Maci had vanished; MJ could only assume they were going to get Rebekah together, meaning she could take a seat next to him.

"They're in our room," He complained.

"Technically, every room here is Klaus's."

"Don't feed his ego, darling," Kol looped an arm around her waist to pull her closer, "What a shame! I guess we'll be sleeping at yours."

"You have a different room," MJ teased, leaning back to rest over his lap, "Or...we could just sleep here."

"There is something very appealing about a sofa."

"But," MJ sat up quickly, "Not while there's still no protection on this stupid house."

Kol laughed.

"I'm setting up preliminary ones," She decided, "If Freya wants to switch them out, she can, but I'm done waiting for someone else to do something."

~***~

Tia had been following Davina through the city, Sam Carlin having joined the ex-Regent, the Pethane witch slipping into the shadows. While Sam should've been considered a good bodyguard, Kaleb's dream was still in their minds. He'd seen someone kill Davina and Abigail. But...the pair were entering an apartment building, his arm over her shoulder to hold her close.

She pulled out her phone to check her texts, the glow against her face as the streetlights flickering.

Flickering.

Tia stilled.

She clicked the screen off, taking in the darkness around her.

Looming dark shapes interlocking with houses, no cuts for windows, just voids of nothingness almost opening up the ground into the pits of darkness below, and unknown fall awaiting her.

"They mentioned that you guys used shadows," Tia called out, "Wanna come out?"

The one in front of her folded up, crawling into reality.

Tia's expression was sharp, "Can I help you?"

"You're good," Clio acknowledged, "We only took over your space a few steps back."

"Funnily enough, I notice when pedestrians stop existing," She scanned around again, "Am I hallucinating?"

"Yes," Clio nodded, "You are out of the path, meaning safe."

"I don't think you can call 'hijacked by Floare and unaware of reality' safe."

"What I call safe is knowing what another crafts spirit guard wants with my descendant."

"You wanna know about Papa?" Tia lifted her chin, "You summon him."

"No need to anger him with a disturbance when I could just talk to you."

"I don't know what he wants," She defended, "I've never met him."

"Have you not been curious?"

Tia grimaced.

"And do the curious not take action to ease their minds."

"If I could contact him, I would," Tia revealed, "Our spirits haven't had a stable hold here in years."

Clio's expression turned sympathetic.

"We tried a ritual, and the only whisper we could hear was a voice telling us to be patient."

"So you heard a voice?"

She nodded.

"But it wasn't Legba?"

"We don't know," Tia stressed, "Meaning we can't necessarily trust it."

Clio gave her that.

"For all we know, it's Semani playing to get a deal by tricking us."

"Possibly," Clio knew the Lwa terms, "But on the off case it isn't."

Tia frowned.

"What else did you hear?"

"That you wouldn't be able to fix the discord."

Clio stilled.

"'The spell is incomplete.'"

"The ritual was successful," Clio argued, "I finished the spell."

"I don't know," Tia put her hands up, "That's what was said."

"If you can cleanse Mira's soul, tell me."

"I wish I did," Tia revealed, "Give her one less thing to worry about?"

A laugh.

"These vampires would be booted out in a day if they were the only thing on her plate."

Clio let go of her arm.

Tia was brought back to reality by cars rolling along the pothole-filled road, no one in front of her.